The second, and likely the least worn, tier of my EDC is the fanny pack, though the items contained in it are still used quite often as they are moved into my satchel and backpack as I go to larger EDC carry cases. The fanny pack is a problem in some ways. I use a Custom LeatherCraft bag to store the items inside the pack, and there is little room for both those items and the lower tiers of my EDC. My phone, pocket book, and knife generally stay in my pockets. But the items in my belt pouch might be more difficult to store in the pack and may have to stay on my belt or be attached to the belt of the pack. For this reason, and the stigma attached to fanny packs in general, I tend not to use this system very much. It is still very handy, but I find slightly smaller and/or slightly larger containers to be a bit more handy.

FANNY PACK

Coleman Poncho (Sometimes rain surprises me, and I don’t want to be caught out in it if I can help it, or to have all my stuff get wet. This doesn’t take up much space and would work in a pinch.)

Stylus Pen (Bic Tech. With all this technology I get tired of using my thumb to operate screens all the time. So a stylus is nice for me, though not something I use that often. I have a few combo stylus/pens, and swap them out. I find there isn’t much in the way of difference.)

Notebook (Moleskine. it’s always nice to have something to write on so you don’t forget what you’re shopping for, or what you should be doing. If I don’t have my pocket book I like having one in the fanny pack. Moleskines are just what I happened to have, I could also use a Rhodia or Field Notes book.)

Business card holder.

Bic Lighter (I have another in the Altoids tin for when I’m just carrying that in my pocket, but this one is larger and easier to use.)

Multi-tool (Leatherman Juice S2 – The most stripped down multi-tool I could find, and no one beats Leatherman quality. I use the scissors most, so it’s slightly frustrating to have to lift up the can opener every time, but for the amount of function that’s a minor complaint.)

Glowstick (Just in case I might need some extra light, this one is a “take it or leave it” item.)

Chapstick (Lots of uses there, but I almost never use it because I find Lip balm more uncomfortable than chapped lips unless I have some specific reason.)

Knife (Victorinox Midnite Manager – I like the red LED for preserving night vision, and the pen as a backup is useful if not comfortable. I think overall this is such a good toolset that it could replace quite a few other things here, but for the moment I haven’t streamlined it.)

Light (Maglite Solitaire – Same things as in the last post, but this one I got fairly new.)

Container (I have no idea what this thing was or where it came from, but it’s a small cylinder and is handy for liquids. I use fountain pens a lot, so it’s good for ink and such.)

AAA battery (New, for replacement.)

Electrical tape

Eyeglass repair kit (A combination of several kits, and a mini screwdriver that was compact enough to fit inside. The driver used to be on my keys.)

I really do like the amount of things that can be carried in a fanny pack, and the robustness of some of the larger tools like the Leatherman Juice. But there is something that is just a bit off about carrying them. It never feels like it’s in the right place, and everything feels more like a compromise. I love having these items with me and find uses for them all the time, but I find having them in a different case works out better for me.

Next time I’ll take a look at the satchel, or “man-purse” carry of my EDC. (I don’t like that term, I’d just call it a purse before I called it a man-purse. Oh, well.)

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